Animal trap



2 9 E. G. HOLLENBECK 2,416,481

ANIMA TRAP.

Filed May 1944 w 4 1 3N 6 TV 6 5 n V 4 36 o 00 l 6 o 0 3 00 F 5 1 a 1 106M 2 3 M 5 47 7 5 4 m w .OO OOO OOO O 00 OOO..OOQO OOO O 000 0 0000 Patented Feb. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMAL TRAP Eugene Grant Hollenbeck, Utica, N. Y. Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,925

4 Claims. (Cl. 43-81) inner sides I0, I of easing I and is disposed at anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to v make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters refer to like parts throughout the specification.

The object of the invention is to provide an animal trap that can be baited permanently and can be set in open position with very little effort on the part of the user. The object will be understood by referring to the drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the trap, showing parts broken away for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a central vertical section of the trap. i k

Fig. 3 is a, perspective view, showing the trap mechanism employed in the device and parts immediately connected thereto.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a perspective of a grating and immediate parts employed, and looking at the rear side thereof.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a, perspective of a, bait chamber employed-in the device.

Fig. 6 is a detail view enlarged showing a perspective view of a bearing member employed.-

Fig. '7 is a detail view, somewhat enlarged,

showing a perspective of a spacing washer emploved in the device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the trap embodies a casing I forming a death chamber 2 that is open at its top and. endparts. One end is closed by a removable bait container 4, which is of box shape, for the storage of the bait which is usually old chee e or rinds, the waste from the dining table. The front face of the bait container is open nearly its entire extent, excepting a narrow bait retaining member 5 at the bottom portion. The open front surface of bait container 4 is closed by a grating 6 made as a separate part and slid down'in front of the container 4 from the top of easing I into open grooves formed in opposite sides II), II! of casing I and on the inner surfaces thereof. It has an overhanging part 1. Numerous apertures II made in grating 5 will allow the odor of the bait to escape, whereby mice or rodents can smell the bait but not-eat thereof. The older the pieces of cheese or rinds used, the betterservice will be performed thereby because .of the strong odor.

hence attraction for the mice. Furthermore, the bait will last indefinitely for, as stated above, the mice can not'reach it.

Container 4 fits substantially flush-with the the end thereof. It is held in place against grating 6 by a V-shaped spring member'l5 which has its ends driven at right angles into the end part I6 of base member I1. The upper free end of spring I5 will press against the back surface of container 4, whereby to hold it snugly against grating 6. I The tread or releasing plate 20 is mounted on ,base member I1 and is held in position thereon by two upstanding pin 2|, 2| that project upward through two corresponding loose apertures,

22, 22 made in plate 20, whereby to allow plate 20 to rock or swing upward at an angle to the surface of base member I'I.

The means for forcing plate 20 upward at an angle to base I! contemplates a flat spring 25 that has one end forced with a tight fit into base I! at the location of hole 26 which extends through base I! to allow for the escape of dirt. Hole 26 communicates with a, channel 21 made; also in base I! and large enough to accommodate the length of fiat spring 25 when it is forced downward therein by the weight of an animal stepping on plate 20. v The means for adjusting the degree to which plate 26 can rise at an angle to base I! contemplates a screw 3I mounted in a threaded aperture in base I'I. It projects througha loose aperture in plate 26. Turning screw 3| downwards will reduce'the degree to which plate 20 can be swung upward, and likewise turning screw 3I upward Screw 3 I also holds will increase the degree. plate 20' to pins 2|. Furthermore, plate 20 has a shoulder formed at 35 by cutting away a portion of the lateral mounted in the lateral surface of the one of thev sides IU of easing I. A spacing washer 40 isused inthe mounting and holds trip lever. 36 from" contacting thesurface of side). The lower part of trip lever 36 is beveled at, whereit,

engages shoulder 35 of tread plate 26, whereby to eifect a very sensitive contact therewith, so

that the least jar willspring the trap;

The means for swinging trip lever 36into' engaging position with .the shoulder 35 of plate 2llanticipatesa law or striker frame 45 prefer ably made of wire. Its lower free ends 46, 46 are right angles to fit flush with the lower surface of base I1;

The lateral sides 48, 48 of striker frame 45 converge slightly and are tied together by a cross wire 59 that is wound about sides 48, 48 at substantially the center thereof with its respective ends extending beyond sides 48, 48. One of i said projecting ends serves as a latch bar and engages the cam surface 52 of pawl, or trip lever 35 and riding up thereon makes contact vnth the edge 53 of cam 52, whereby to rock trip lever 36 into full line or trap setting position illustrated ,in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The opposite projecting end 55 of cross wire 5t 5 serves as an axle for mounting the groovedpulley 56 which turns thereon and is'held in. place by in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to allow the beveled part 4! of lever 36 to engage shoulder 35 of plate 2!), in

the contiguous surface of side IQ of casing l. A

long S-shaped wire spring 51 is used to snap the striker frame closed. One end thereof is held with a tight fit in a socket 6| sunk into base [1. Spring 5''! commences to curve downward at about its center portion and gradually increases. its curvature from thecenter portion to the coiled spring end 62 where it fits in'to socket 6!.

The location of spring 51 with its coil 62 in the frgntpart of the casingl allows all theback part thereof to be used as a bait chamber. Moreover, when striker frame is raised to the full line pflsition illustrated in Figs. 1. 2, and 3, the free end. of spring Elis raised also to thereby mouse or other animal in the trap therebeneath. I

When resetting the trap the like operations will be repeated.

It will be observed that the tread plate 28 has a slight crease lengthwise through the center thereof to aid in making it more rigid. More increase the pressure upon pulley 58 carried by of spring 51' on pulley-56 falls back of the center ofgravity of striker frame whereby said striker frame as will b e.-.forced forward and downward whenthe trap is sprung; by pressureof the mouse on the raised end of platela Furthermore, the

over, the ends 64, 64 of bail (53 are'weund about the upper horizontal bar 55 of striker frame s5, whereby to allow Said bail 83 to swivel thereon.

Side plates ll), ill are held to base H by screws as, 6%.

Having thus described my invention, what I' claim as new and desire to Y secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

i. In an animal trap, a casing, a bait chamber disposed in said casing, a trip lever having a cam to said striker frame for manually moving said pressure of spring 5! will increase very rapidly as g a the striker frame 45 falls reaching its maximum force when it approaches thebase H m the trap and, therefore, is very effective in killing any animal in the trap. V Striker frame 45 with cross a bar 59 presents sufficient surface to kill any animal that gets within the casing I.

The operation of the trap iseffected' by first by elevating grating 6 and then lifting out charm her 4 for packing with the bait consisting of old striker frame to cocked position.

In an animal trap, a casing having sides and a bait chamber, a trip lever pivotally mounted on one of the sides of said casing and having a cam surface and edge formedthereon, a striker" striker frame to closed position, and a bail supplying bait to chamber 4. This can be done a V tor will-grasp casing with one hand and bail 53 of striker frame 45'with the other and pull upwards on bail 63. As striker frame 45 nearsits upper position, latch baror projecting end 5! .will ride up'cam surface 52 of trip lever 36 and strike against edge {EB thereof, whereby to swing trip lever 35 into full line position. illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Latch 5i will come to rest in. recess of trip lever 36, whereas the lowered beveled part 15! of lever SE5 will rest against shoulderfiaiof plate 2i3. As" the lowerend of trip lever 36 m0v es forward overr plate 2S and: past shoulder 35 thereof, flatspring 2'5 will force plate 20 to rock upward in the position illustrated attached to said'striker frame for actuating said said bait chamber, a pivotallymounted trip lever, a striker frame havin a projecting end for engaging said trip lever, whereby to hold said trip lever in cocked position, a spring-pressed tread plate having a shoulder for engaging said trip lever, whereby the actuation of the plate will release said lever for tripping and release said striker frame for killing a rodent, a spring engaging said striker frame for actuating it to closed position, and a bail attached on said striker frame for manually actuating it to cocked position.

4. In an animal trap, a casing having lateral sides and an, Open front part, a bait chamber formed in said casing, a slide grating having an overhanging part for closing said bait chamber, a pivotally mounted trip lever having a cam surface terminating in'a recess and an edge formed engaging the reces's'in said trip lever, a spring pressed tread plate having a shoulder' for engag ing said trip lever, whereby the actuation of said 5 4 6 plate will release said trip lever and said striker frame for killing a rodent, a spring having one REFERENCES CITED end engaging said caslng and the other end The following references are of record in the engaging said striker frame for actuating said me of this atent: frame to closed position for killing a rodent, a 5 p bail attached to said striker frame for manually UNITED STATES PATENTS moving it to cocked position, and a screw mount- Number Name t ed in said casing and engaging said tread plat 1,243,944 Stilson Dec. 4, 1917 for controlling the movement of said plate reia- 70,134 Trevitt Oct. 22, 1867 tive to said casing. 0 1,184,558 I Morton May 23, 1916 726,350 Robinson Apr. 28, 1903 EUGENE GRANT HOLLENBECK- 636,901 Johnson Nov. 14, 1899 

